Sheet metal pavement grid and method of making the same



Dec. 4, 1934.

e. M. SMITH SHEET METAL PAVEMENT GRID AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1930 ATTORNEY.

I G. M/SMITH 1,983,412

SHEET METAL PAVEMENT GRID AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

George M Srnii'f A TTORNEY.

PATENT OFFICE snEE'r METAL PAVEMENT GRID AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME George M. Smith, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwa ukee, Wis., a

corporation of New York Application June 5, 1930, Serial No. 459,337

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a sheet metal pavement grid and a method of making the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a method of more readily and economically manufacturing an integral pavement grid of sheet metal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal pavement grid of economical and inexpensive construction, and having great inherent strength.

The invention will be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the finished grid.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1. I

Fig. 4 is a top view of the blank slitted preparatory for the bending operation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the blank showing the bending operation partly completed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the blank prepared for the spreading operation.

Fig. '7 is a modified form of the blank shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view of a finished grid made in accordance with the modification shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a section of pavement having a reenforcinggrid embedded therein.

In carrying out the present invention, a sheet metal blank 1 is provided, being of a size for convenient handling before and after fabrication. The metal is selected according to the use to which it is put. If the floor is subjected to corrosive fluids, it is desirable to use a metal which is able to withstand such corrosion. A creamery or cheese factory floor, for instance, is often subjected 0 salt and lactic acid. It the grid is used in stre t pavements an important consideration is strength. If near a warehouse where metal tires of horse drawn vehicles batter the pavement, a good grade of steel is desirable.

In shaping the blank into an integral grid, a number of rows of aligned longitudinal slits 2 are cut in the blank 1, leaving a narrow web 3 between the adjacent ends ofthe slits. A relatively shorter transverse slit 4 is cut at each end of each of the longitudinal slits 2, defining the web 3 as a narrow transverse integral piece. The webs 3 of alternate rows are aligned longitudinally, leaving the I-shaped slits in adjacent rows in a staggered relation as shown in Fig. 4.

The blank 1 is then bent at the ends of the webs as shown inFig. 5, to bring the parts 5 adjacent the longitudinal slots 2 into a vertical position. The parts 5 adjacent each row of longitudinal slits 2 may be bent in the same direction as shown in Fig. 5 or they may be bent in opposite directions as shown in Fig. 7 until they reach a vertical position, forming parallel strips 6 connected by the transverse integral webs 3.

Thereafter, at a point intermediate each pair of webs 3, the parallel strips 6 are bentoutwardly from each other, forming sinuous vertical strips '7 as shown in Figure 1, connected by the transverse webs 3.

The gaps 9 in the edges of the strips 7 occur where the horizontal webs 3 are cut out of the metal, and the corners 10 and 11 on each side of the gaps serve to increase the traction of vehicles passing over the pavement.

The finished grid is thereafter set in paving material 12 as shown in Fig. 9 with the upper edges of the vertical strips '7, preferably flush with, or slightly below the surface thereof to reenforce the material and to bear a substantial amount of the shocks and wear to which the pavement is subjected.

A modified form as shown in Fig. 8 results, when the parts adjacent the same row of longitudinal slits are bent in opposite directions as shown in Fig. 7.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making an integral sheet metal pavement grid which comprises providing a sheet metal blank, cutting rows of spaced 1- shaped slits therein, bending the metal between the rows of slits to a. vertical position, retaining the metal webs between adjacent slits of the same row in a horizontal position to serve as integral connecting webs for the vertical pieces, and thereafter expanding the vertical pieces outwardly at points intermediate the horizontal webs to form a sheet metal pavement grid.

2. A wear resistant grid formed from a single sheet of metal comprising a plurality of reenforcing strips partially separated from one another and extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the sheet from which they are cut, .other strips of metal extending transversely of the reenforcing strips and partially separated therefrom forming webs for holding the reenforcing strips in spaced relation, the reenforcing strips being sinuous and presenting a plurality of rows of staggered cells.

3. In a pavement, a plurality of reenforcing strips of metal arranged on edge with their respective upper and lower edges substantially in common planes, said plates being slit from their edges to provide integral horizontal webs extending between them and uniting them into an integral 

